Misfire
by CoolMintFire
Summary: Kagome can always trust Inuyasha, right? Then why would he injure her and then leave her with his cold brother?
1. Chapter 1

"Wind scar!" Torrents of the deadly move barreled towards their target. Sesshomaru batted it away as if it were a piece of dust, sending it into the air. His dense brother threw attacks his way.

"You must be getting desperate, filthy half-breed." He allowed himself these words.

"Shut up! I'm just getting started!" He gritted his teeth, showing no emotion.

"Inuyasha," Kagome's voice fluttered through the air, catching the two brothers by surprise. "Can we just go? You'll wake Rin with all this noise." She pointed to the small girl, whose head rested in her lap.

"Why are you being nice to her? She's the enemy!"

"She's ten."

Inuyasha shut his mouth. Sesshomaru smiled lightly. She was feisty, for a woman. Out of all Inuyasha's comrades, all of whom failed to appear at this battle, he disliked her the least. He felt a borderline… respect.

His thoughts were cut short when Inuyasha's 'Blades of Blood' were announced. The Hanyou's aim was sloppy, so the blades were spinning on a path that led not to the intended, but to his ward. Sesshomaru was there in seconds, blocking the teenager and small girl. The blades shaved off the bottom of his mokomoko and narrowly missed his leg. As the blades buried themselves three inches into he trunk of the nearest tree, he spun around, surveying the damage.

The dark haired girl had her back towards him, with the smaller girl wrapped in her arms. Shielding her.

Blood and large gashes ran down the poor girl's back.

She appeared to be unconscious, most likely from the pain. Stunned, Inuyasha walked over to Kagome. They stood above the two girls, eyes wide. Sesshomaru snapped out of it first and kneeled to pick up the girls. Blood immediately stained the white garments and armor he was wearing. As he set Rin on Ah-Un, Inuyasha came to.

"You can't take her!" Guilt laced his words.

"I am The Lord of the Western Lands. I take what I wish."

Inuyasha just turned his head to look at the blood that pooled on the dirt. Guilt and sorrow made his mind a blank slate.

Sesshomaru knew that Inuyasha wouldn't stop him. They were both dog youkai, so both could hear her heartbeat growing ever weaker with every drop of crimson that turned his armor red.

Both eyes connected, amber on amber, and Inuyasha nodded. Cradling her body, Sesshomaru mounted

Ah-Un and gave his command. Inuyasha sat on the ground. "Take her pack." He said before the reptile took to the air. Sesshomaru grabbed the ugly yellow sack before starting his journey towards his castle.

Three days later, Kagome awoke. Looking beside her bed, she saw a familiar dark head. "Rin?" She sat up, wincing at the pain. The girl spun around. "Ms. Kagome! You're awake!"

After a short explanation of the situation, Rin jumped up. "Lord Sesshomaru told me to get him the moment you woke up! I'll be right back. He's been so worried!"

'Worried! About me?' She thought skeptically. 'Doubt it.' She snorted.

"Why do you laugh, Miko?" Sesshomaru gracefully stepped into the room.

"Rin said you were worried about me. I just thought that was funny."

He shot a look at Rin, who giggled sheepishly and latched onto his mokomoko.

"Why would it be funny? Can one not be worried about someone who was dying?" His piercing stare sent ice down her spine.

"I wasn't dying. Inuyasha wouldn't try to kill me."

"I beg to differ, Miko. Especially since I witnessed what transpired, how would I benefit from lying to you?" He tilted his chin up slightly, awaiting her retort. Since she had none, she moved on to a different topic. "I have a name. It's Kagome, not 'Miko'."

"You dare challenge The Lord of the Western Lands?" His eyes grew red and his magenta strips darkened into a fuchsia.

"No!" She held up her palms in a surrender. "It was a joke! Lay off, Sesshy." She smiled.

"I will show you a joke, and you will know the true meaning of surrender. I am-" his eyes faded back to amber.

"Did you just call me… Sesshy?" He was confused. No one had this much confidence.

She giggled at his face. He clearly needed some help in taking jokes.

"Do you not like it? I guess I could call you… Fluffy." She tousled his hair. He growled softly.

"Or puffball," she poked his mokomoko.

"Oh, wait. You can't be puffball. Inuyasha is puffball."

He forgot his anger. "You call my brother, who has slain thousands of demons using the mighty Inutaisho's fang, puffball?" He shook his head, chuckling quietly.

"Have you seen his ears?" She gestured to the top of her head, where Inuyasha's ears lay. "How do you resist?"

"I'm usually trying to kill him."

She stopped. Did he just make a joke? She smiled widely at him. "Ok, that was funny. Now get out." She waved her hand towards the door.

Sesshomaru stopped. "Did you just order me around in my own castle?"

"I have to change. Unless you want to see some nasty scars, I suggest the door as an easy way to exit."

"Fool. Who do you think changed your bandages?"

Her eyes widened.

"Calm yourself. It was a servant named Anika."

She relaxed and smiled as he left the room, pulling Rin along with him.

She settled on an orange kimono with purple flowers, with an obi that matched the flowers. Looking around the large castle, she attempted to find Rin. She flinched with every step she took. The pain was almost too much. When her vision began to get dark around the edges, she felt her feet leaving the floor. She spun around and met the stark white of someone's kimono.

"You certainly aren't that stupid, to think three days will heal all wounds."

Sesshomaru picked her up bridal-style and walked her towards her room.

"I was actually… looking for someone."

"I will tell Rin to go to your room. Unless it was I you were looking for."

His mouth whirled into a crooked smile. Kagome retorted quickly.

"What if I was?"

"Then I would feel no qualms about meeting your demands."


	2. Chapter 2

Setting her down on her bed, Sesshomaru settled into a chair across from her. She sat up and crossed her legs, wincing.

"Rest, Miko." He spoke quietly from the chair.

"No. I want to get out! I laid in this bed for three days! I want to run around the castle, or do something. Anything!" She threw her arms around, animating every word.

"Run around the castle?" He smirked as he listened to her. "You can barely stand, much less run."

She rolled her eyes. "Can we just do something? I'm going crazy."

"What would you like to do? What do humans usually do for recreation?"

"Isn't Rin human? What does she usually do?"

He opened his mouth to answer, only to stop. He didn't know what Rin did. He had assumed she just wandered around the castle.

"I-I do not know."

"I thought you two were close."

"I thought so too." His eyebrows drew together.

"Well," she threw the covers away. "I know what's happening today." She stood up quickly, causing her to get dizzy. Sesshomaru was there in a moment, steadying her.

"You were going to fall," he said, in response to her quizzical glance.

She rolled her eyes and pushed the door open, leaving in search of Rin.

"I usually go to the gardens! The flowers are soo pretty!" Rin looked up at the two adults who were questioning her. Kagome looked at Sesshomaru, giggling lightly at how serious he looked. He looked like he was dealing with a issue in the economy, not inquiring the whims of a ten year old.

"Would you like to accompany us to the gardens, Run? We would need a guide. Even this Sesshomaru cannot name as many flowers as you."

Her eyes widened to the point of saucers. "Really? Rin can go with you and Miss Kagome?"

"Of course. We would wander around lost without your guidance."

Rin's nose scrunched up at the cold invitation. She sounded more like a leader than a companion. Kagome reached out and pulled her into her lap.

"Rin," she whispered quietly. "I don't want to be at the gardens without sunshine."

"There is always sunshine, Miss Kagome. The sun is out whether I am or not."

Kagome looked at the girl who might as well been her little sister. "No, Rin. I don't want to be in a garden without MY sunshine." She hummed the song that she had sung to her while she had slept.

Sesshomaru's ears twitched with their superhuman hearing to pick up the voice of the Miko as she sang her song, something about sunshine and making someone happy. Rin smiled, seemingly understanding the meaning behind her words. She looked up at the Miko and grinned ear to ear. "Okay, Miss Kagome. I'll go to the gardens with you."

Had Sesshomaru not been the stoic he had grown up as, he would have smiled at the uselessness of the Miko's actions. By the way Rin smelled, she would have gone with them regardless. But the song made him feel something. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. No, he was sure he hadn't felt this before. It welled up inside of him, making him wince. He dismissed it and stood quickly, yanking the Miko up with him. Both girls stared at him as he glanced down and saw his fingers intertwine with hers. He kept his emotions down as he spoke. "I need to work. Rin, take the Miko and go to the gardens."

"Lord Sesshomaru-"

"Now, Rin." He growled at her.

She walked out of the room, pulling a confused looking Kagome behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

"I think he likes you, Ms. Kagome." Rin was weaving a flower crown from daisies. "You think so?" She was laying on the grass, enjoying the warm breeze.

"I overheard him talking to Inuyasha yesterday. He said that you were staying. There was a lot of yelling. I think Inuyasha likes you, too." She was three daisies away from a crown, so she reached out towards one.

"Inuyasha could never like anyone. Except for Kikyo." She said the name harshly and picked the daisy for Rin.

"Sesshomaru doesn't love Kikyo." She smiled. After finishing the daisy chain, she lay her head on Kagome's stomach. They lay there, staring up at the sky.

"I thought you wanted to marry Sesshomaru. Didn't you tell me that when you were eight?"

She giggled. "Not anymore, Ms. Kagome. I want to marry someone else."

Kagome gasped dramatically. "Who's that, Rin?"

"Well, for a while, Kohaku has come to play."

"Don't tell Sesshomaru that. He might get jealous." She poked the smaller girl, who blushed in return.

"I-" she stammered.

"Rin." A cold voice came from the castle doors. They looked up to see Sesshomaru, his robes blinding in the sunlight. Rin ducked her head and walked towards him.

"Did you think that I would not hear you? Do you doubt my abilities that greatly?"

"No, Sesshomaru-sama." She bowed deeply.

"Sesshomaru-" Kagome interrupted.

"Silence, Miko. You will treat me with respect or you will go home."

He knew he was overreacting, but the talk of marriage made his blood boil.

Kagome looked up, tears reflecting the blinding sunlight. "Maybe I should." She choked slightly, on the tears that created a fist of clay in her throat. She spun quickly on her heel and left a stunned Sesshomaru and Rin behind.

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the short chapter today. I'll be updating sometime tomorrow, so fear not, loyal readers! Make sure to leave a review and press that liiitle blue button at the bottom. I know you can see it. I need some flames to fuel this CoolMintFire, so let's light it up. Thanks for reading, bye bye!


	4. Chapter 4

I didn't get in trouble or anything, but I just wanted to say because I realized I hadn't yet: I do NOT own Inuyasha. That goes to Rumiko Takahashi. You're fantastic, Takahashi-san. Stay that way.

If you write poems, fanfictions, anything, I want to read them! Send them to me, I promise I will read them all. Thanks for your support. I can't wait to hear from you all!

He knew she wasn't going to leave. She didn't even know her way home, for Kami's sake. He smirked to himself, then frowned when he realized that she would expect an apology. Groaning inwardly, he pushed open Kagome's door, which had been slightly cracked open. He came in to a room that had been cleared of her possessions. The only thing that signified that she was ever there was Rin, who had thrown herself on the bed and was crying hysterically, yet she was attempting to silence herself. "Rin?" He reached forward to touch her shoulder. She turned and began crawling backwards when she saw him. Rin was trying to escape from him. But… why? And why was everything Kagome owned gone from this room?

"You yelled at her. You yelled at Ms. Kagome, and she left. You took my only friend! The only person that I cared about in this whole stinky castle!" The girl was suddenly filled with anger, her tiny frame shaking with rage. She ran forward and began pounding her small fists on his chest. He stood still, lost in thought. Kagome… left? When the small girl had tired out, and the Inu had fully processed his thoughts, he scooped Rin up and laid her in the bed he knew smelled of the girl she loved. When he started to leave, Rin grabbed his hand, and the sweetness of the girl he had raised was gone. She looked at him, eyes level. "Find Kagome, Sesshomaru-san."

He visibly was taken aback at the loss of status with her. He nodded his affirmation through his surprise and jumped from the balcony window to the dark forest below.

Tears threatened to fall as she ran. She didn't even understand why she wanted to cry. Her lungs ached, and soon she was stopping to catch her breath. She didn't have special adaptations to help her find her way back, to either Inuyasha or Sesshomaru. She much preferred the former, as he hadn't kicked her out of his group. She looked up at the moon and the hot tears burned her eyes again. Neither one would take her back. She had burned bridges with the cold prince, and Inuyasha loved another woman. He would put up with her for a time, but soon she would begin to get in the way. It was bound to happen eventually. She was stuck in a world that didn't belong to her, with no way of going home. Finally, knowing she was truly alone, she let the tears rake hot paths down her cheeks, and the taste of salt water soon coated her lips.

She stood up slowly, hoping the pounding in her head would cease. She was sluggish, and emotionally vulnerable. She hoped in every moment that a sliver of moonlight was his hair, or the leaves rustling was his rescue, that he had come to save her. But the leaves rustling was not her knight in white armor. A giant scorpion, rivaling her in height, crawled out of the bushes and immediately charged her.

She screamed and backed away quickly. The black-purple mass moved towards her, tail flickering with venom that burned when it landed on her shirt. She dodged the large stinger, cursing herself for leaving her bow at the hot springs. She shifted left, remembering the little training she had received. It's pincers caught her shirt, tearing a large piece of the fabric. She dodged left, then right and continued the twisted game of tag for three minutes until the large arthropod lunged forward, ghastly pincers dangerously close to her face. Even though she knew no one could hear her, she screamed. It backed her up against a tree and she raised it's tail to her. She knew that he would be here. She had see the movies, the hero was always there. As the tail descended, she watched it drip with venom. She felt a pinch in her side as the tail disappeared, and then searing pain began spreading from the contact area. Instantly she felt weak, blood and venom seeping from her torn shirt, sweat beading her forehead. Her tears still remained on her face as her vision tunneled. Her thoughts were becoming less coherent, but they still raced. She turned against the tree to look in the direction she had come from. Silently willing him there, her vision clouded and eventually went dark.

He could smell tears. Tears and... Blood? Some poor soul had probably killed themselves again. One day he had to check that out. He shrugged and adjusted his fire rat kimono so Kikyo wouldn't be cold.

He ran furiously. Of course he could smell it. Tears and blood. He picked up the speed and almost tripped on something that had been broken underfoot. It was a bow. He tossed it to the side, unable to be bothered by it. He continued to follow the scent trail and began picking up new scents. Abandonment saturated the air. He had learned to recognize it, as he had smelled it on both his brother and his ward. It was a bitter feeling, he had been told. Something never to be wished upon someone else. And know he smelled it on Kagome, the girl who-

He stopped walking to lean against a tree, holding his chest. His heart felt as though someone had slipped a blade into it, one that was both searing hot and freezing cold. Had she broken him? The girl who... What, exactly? He shook the question from his mind and focused on finding her. She had definitely broken him.

Thanks for reading, and go ahead and leave a review! We authors really do appreciate it. I need some flames to fuel this CoolMintFire, so set the reviews ablaze!


	5. Chapter 5

Hello again! It took me some time, but I finally got to a point where I could update. Remember, Kagome was stung, and Sesshomaru's working through some things. I don't own, but you know that.

She opened her eyes, but failed to lift her head. Her whole body hurt, and trying to move her arm almost made her pass out. She sat still for an hour, blinking and trying to focus her vision in the pitch black forest. Soon she found most of her basic motor skills had returned, and she lifted her head up. With much difficulty and a swimming head, the rest of her small frame followed suit. The scorpion, uninterested in his plaything going limp, must have wandered off. But not before leaving a good bit of whatever was burning her veins behind. She had learned to recognize poison symptoms, and she was pumped full of the scorching toxin. She began to walk, being heavily supported by the trees, and blood that was flowing from her hand coated the rough bark. She tripped many times before she found an area that seemed safe enough. A hollowed out burrow lay in a rock cave, and had close access to water. She settled in the cave and became to tired to fret about the blood in her hair or the coldness of the cave. She tucked her arms under her head and fell asleep.

He smelled blood and poison. And Kagome, most of all. He stopped to rest by a tree and set his hand on it, only to almost fall due to his hand slipping. The tree was slick. He adjusted his vision and took a closer look. It blended so well with the tree at night. His stomach dropped and he knew what it was even before he lifted it to his nose. Ichor. Pure priestess blood, Kagome's blood, he had smelled it so many times before. With her scent came his memories.

She was clutching his father's sword, knuckles white and hair wild.

"I'm sorry, I-" She looked so lost as she tried to comprehend the events.

"Inuyasha, catch!" She yelled, as the sword spiraled through the air.

He held his head as the memory edged away. How could this girl, this human, be so important to him? Had it been the many times he had seen her, or just the months that he had known she inhabited his world? As he hovered over the forest, he wondered.

Is this how his father had felt for that woman?

Did his chest hurt like this, had his throat closed itself off like his did? He could almost hear the demon laughing at his thoughts. The mighty dog, Sesshomaru, had encountered his greatest fear. He had fallen for a human.

He noticed when he hovered over a certain area I the forest, he heard a faint thumping. It took his muddled mind a good two minutes to translate it to heartbeats.

"Hearts have their own language, Sesshomaru."

His father pulled a baby Inuyasha in his lap and pressed his head to the child's chest. He nodded as he listened to his tiny heartbeat. He held the child out to him, and he recoiled. "Why should we dirty our vocabulary with the language of the heart? Especially a... Hanyou's heart." He made the face of a child set in front of a distasteful food. His father's eyes narrowed as he again thrust the babbling child toward the Inu. This time Sesshomaru reluctantly lifted the hanyou, who laughed as he passed between the older demon to the young one. Sesshomaru set the child in his lap, who giggled and snuggled against him. He pulled lightly at the ear at the top of Inuyasha's head. He laughed in response and cooed against a much smaller mokomoko. He set his hand on the top of his head and mussed up his hair. His father watched the two of them, a faint smile on his face.

He jumped down and ran toward the source of the beating. He approached a cave with blood along one edge, where she must have pulled herself in. He covered his nose and stepped into the cave, the smell of blood permeating the air and stirring the earliest memories of himself and his knowledge of her. It was almost as though he could see into her mind through her scent.

He tried to hold on to the child's hand harder than his mother was. She was strong for a human, and had the added strength of a mother protecting her child.

"You'll just leave him! You can't take care of him forever!" He tried to pull Inuyasha toward him. This human had no right. He was a prince.

"Sesshomaru, let him go!" His father tried to grab him, but he shrugged him off easily. He pulled Inuyasha towards him and wrapped his arms around the child. He sobbed as he held onto him. He couldn't let Inuyasha leave, not when everyone else had. Inuyasha put his arms around his neck and squeezed, and the hug startled the Inu so much, he let go. Inuyasha let him go and reached up. He pulled lightly on his pointed ear like Sesshomaru had not that long ago. With that, he toddled over to his mother and left with her. Inuyasha was gone, leaving a shocked and crying Sesshomaru.

He blinked, his hate of humans shot through his veins.

Her face flashed in his mind as he almost lost control. The blood danced through his thoughts as he sagged against the cave wall, blinded by the scent.

He approached the garden where Kagome and Rue lay. His ears twitched as he picked up their conversation.

"I overheard him talking to Inuyasha yesterday. He said that you were staying. There was a lot of yelling. I think Inuyasha likes you, too." The younger girl was weaving something from flowers. Anger flashed in his mind.

Why had he been so angry? Both of them were human. They had to live at some point. Rue's speech proved she was growing, shaking him from the desperate wish that they could live forever with him. He blindly brushed the floor with his hands, searching for a sound, a breath, anything. His hand landed in something wet. The source of the smell. Kagome was breathing almost silently and felt cold in the frigid night. He grabbed her unmoving body and held her to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

Well, if you know me, you'd know that sometimes I do an update dump. Sorry I haven't been able to update this story as often as I'd like, but high school is time consuming! 9th grade, man. But, you don't want to hear about me! Here's Kagome and Sesshomaru, all for you! (I don't own because if I did, the _Inu_ in InuKag would be referring to Sesshomaru's Inu side.)

"Miko." He hoped she was just asleep. And that she didn't hear his voice crack. He cleared his throat.

"Miko. Wake up."

She didn't stir. He checked a second time. He could hear her heartbeat.

"Please."

Her eyelids fluttered lightly. Her eyes opened with what looked like tremendous effort.

"All you had to do... Was ask.." Her voice was slurred and it looked as though she barely had control of her body. She attempted to sit up, groaning with the pain.

"Don't," he eased her back down. "You need rest. What happened-" he sniffed the air, trying to place the odd sweet smell that laced itself through the thick scent of her blood.

"There was this big, uh..." Her eyebrows drew together as she tried to remember. "Bug." She smiled like she had explained everything. Wait... Had she?

"A bug. How big?" He ran through the list of 'big bugs' he knew of.

"Really big." She began to doze off. His heart squeezed painfully.

"Don't fall asleep," he pinched her arm as he checked her pulse, counting the beats. "Bigger than you? A demon?"

"Ow. Fluffy, that hurt." Her bottom lip stuck out pitifully. He could laugh at the way this powerful priestess had become so like a child. But this was serious.

"Was it a demon? Miko, answer me."

"You could ask nicely, y'know."

"Kagome!" He grabbed her arm fiercely, startling her.

"I- I think it was a demon." She hung her head sadly.

"No, I didn't intend-" he let go of her and put his head in his hands. He might have been a prince, but he was even more inexperienced than his brother with women. When she shifted back towards him, the smell was stronger, and sickeningly sweet. He was positive that it was scorpion venom. He ran through what he knew about them. Scorpion demon's venom was the hardest to locate, since it leaves virtually no wound at the entrance site. Drawing it out was impossible without taking a part of the victim's body with it. But there had to be a way. His mind raced as he tried to choose the least painful option. There had to be a way!

"Kagome," his voice was calm, masking his discontent. She looked at him, and he immediately recognized the symptoms, now that he knew what to look for. He grabbed the sash from his robe and tied his long hair back. He studied her as he did so. Her eyes kept drifting closed, opening with much effort. How could he have been so careless? She had run away from him! He pushed those thoughts out of his mind.

"Where did it sting you? It was a scorpion, correct?" He searched her eyes and winced when he saw the struggle it was for her to speak. She had been in this state for a while before he found her, it seemed. Had he taken so long?

"A scorpion." She stumbled over the words as her heart rate rose. "Yeah, it did sting me. It hurt, and I was so scared! I-" she grabbed his forearm tightly. "I was alone."

"Where did it sting you?" He put his hand over hers, calming her down slightly.

"It was in my side. It doesn't hurt. It should hurt! Shouldn't it hurt?!" She started thrashing, searching for pain. He laid his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back down. She had tears in her eyes, and -had he been anyone else- he would have too. Panic and hilarity meant the poison was reaching the brain.

She suddenly went limp, seemingly turning boneless as he held her. His eyes went wide as hers slowly shut. He bent over her shallowly breathing form and searched her for any other signs of life besides the light pulse beneath his fingers. He began trying to get her to respond to him in any way. He ran his thumb over her cheek, and lightly pinched her shoulder. A tear fell as he tugged on her ear lightly. 'Don't leave me. Not like he did, not like they all did. Not like Rue will. Please.'

Then something, one last solution, appeared in his mind. She was a priestess, correct? She could handle it.

'Please.'

He knew he was being selfish, but he couldn't be alone again.

'Please.'

He just hoped that she loved him as much as he did her.

'Please.'

Lifting up his hand, he pressed it to his forehead.

'Please.'

He moved her arm carefully, revealing a torn shirt and a small bump, more like an insect bite than a deadly poison site. He laid his hand over it, and envisioned the poison slowly moving from her veins to his, the from his to the cold earth that lay below them. The poison tore fire through his veins as it passed through him, and left a burnt feeling long after it had left a limb. It soaked into the ground, dust to dust. She still didn't stir, but if she had dealt with the boiling blood feeling he had for so long, he could wait. He closed his eyes tightly and began the true healing. He slowly coaxed his inner demon out, bleeding it of energy. Once he had enough, he spread the power through her. From her side, he saw the red glow as it worked through her vein network. He was hyper aware of their surroundings, feeling the life rushing through every tree, every flower, every blade of grass. Every part of nature that passed below his feet moved in its own harmony, sang to the tune of the rushing river. He saw her memories, and she, his. They danced behind his eyes as colorful visions, full of life. He saw her as priestess and human, as student and adventurer. He knew of her family and their stories, felt sorrow at the loss of her father, joy with each birthday, and pride with every moment he spent with her brother. Though deep down, he felt as though he was getting the better memories. If she was aware, Kagome was seeing every heartbreak, every difficult training session, and every death he had inflicted upon an innocent person. He was glad he had closed off emotion for so long, she would merely feel numb. He wished that he could have shared something of importance with her. Something in which she could feel. Then he knew what he could share. He put his hand on the side of her face and pressed his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Memories that had been surpressed for so long flooded forth as he shared every time he saw her, accessed the deepest part of his heart where there was a small amount of emotion and allowed it to bloom. Pure, childlike joy was portrayed in each vision. What had appeared to be slight approval to him was shown for it's truth, as curiosity and mystification. He marveled at how long he had been lying to himself, how the sharp pain in his chest had not been a health issue but worry and fear. He felt the rejection when he again entered her empty room, but it was evident and stronger. He could sense the intensity of a certain, unplaceable emotion before the garden, when he had grabbed her hand. He saw her walk along his memories and felt the emotion again. He didn't just want to let her into his most vulnerable points, in his few good memories, but he wanted to make more with her.

He opened his eyes as the light subsided, just as she began to wake. She looked at him, wide-eyed, and he realized what he had done.

"I apologize, Miko, but you were so silent, and I simply-" he began pushing her hair out of her eyes and tucking it behind her ear and straightened his ponytail. He felt so bare, so vulnerable. She had seen the most hidden part of him. "I couldn't be alone again. I thought- why are you crying?" He froze, taking his hands from the sides of her face.

She curled into herself and began weeping uncontrollably. He sat her up and she curled into him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders carefully, the smell of blood only remaining on her clothing and the cave floor. He let her bawl for what seemed like forever, but ended too soon. He smoothed her hair down over and over again as the sun rose, exhausted and whispering to her things that stopped making sense too long ago. He wiped the last of her tears as the last colors faded from the sunrise, both falling away with a new beginning.

He picked her up, exhausted and covered in her blood, and started towards the palace. He couldn't fly, both his exhaustion and worry were keeping him on the ground. She fell asleep many times, and each time he checked her pulse on multiple occasions. No human should have been able to survive a transformation like this, but she had always been different. When the sun again began to fall again, the cold made the sleeping priestess shiver. He found a hollow in a large rock, far from the conditions in his castle, but suitable for now. He set her down carefully, her hair falling over her face. The amount she was sleeping burned his mind with worry as he took off his outer robe and mokomoko, wrapping her in both. Her shaking stopped, and he was glad. He laid on the stone floor, completely drained of any energy, and worried about the woman until the world faded to black.

He woke up staring at white fur. Turning his head, he noted mokomoko cushioning him from the ground, his robe laid over him, and a very frail looking Kagome curled against him. He stared at her a bit before sitting up and untying his hair. It fell before him, grimy and no longer the shining white it used to be. Grimacing, he looked back at the Miko, contemplating breaking her slumber to check her for injuries. He decided against it and struggled to his feet, feeling weak still from the energy transfer. Going to the mouth of the cave, he stopped in front of the dewy grass, remembering how he had felt when their energies mixed. He shut his eyes, guilt seared into his mind. He watched her crumple in tears over and over again. He stumbled towards a nearby stream and began rinsing the dirt from his hair.

Kagome woke up in the cave, the source of warmth gone from in front of her. She put on the too-big outer robe and mokomoko, hoping for some shield against the brisk cold of the morning. Her veins felt as though they were on fire, and she knew why. The transfer Sesshomaru had done...

Sesshomaru raised his head, dripping water onto the grass. He saw a small figure approaching, revealing itself to be a tiny Kagome in a giant robe. He smirked, forgetting for a moment that she might be angry or depressed. She swayed as she walked, her steps uneven. He caught her as she fell towards him next to the stream.

"Mi- Kagome, what are you doing out of the cave, you would make easy prey out here."

"Hey, I can fight," she held up a fist.

"Is that why I'm supporting you when you can barely stand?" He poked her nose, careful to avoid it with his claw. They reverted to their old manner, where she would tease him, and he would reciprocate. Though the so-called 'elephant in the room' still lurked. It hid in she shadow of every smile, every laugh.

"Sesshomaru, I... I know what happened." She looked at her feet.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry." They both spoke at the same time, and both gave the other a disbelieving glance.

"You saved my life, Sesshomaru." Her brow creased.

"Kagome, are you aware of how I did so? I altered the rest of your life, I made you like me."

"What do you mean?"

"Kagome... I turned you into a demon."

Sorry for cliffie, but you guys can handle it. Right? I need some flames for this CoolMintFire, even if they're just about spelling mistakes. Or you could just say, "nice update." It makes us writers feel all warm and fuzzy.


	7. A new beginning

Okay, long chapter to make up for the cliffy. This has a little bit of fluff, but bear with me. I don't own Inuyasha, because if I did this would be reality. Thanks for reviews, and flames are accepted. I'm sorry for the cliffy guys. Really. As a recap:

_"I'm sorry."_

_"I'm sorry." They both spoke at the same time, and both gave the other a disbelieving glance._

_"You saved my life, Sesshomaru." Her brow creased._

_"Kagome, are you aw_are _of how I did so? I altered the rest of your life, I made you like me."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Kagome... I turned you into a demon."_

Quickly, she backed away from him. The transformation had already begun. She watched her hair grow well past her shoulders and turned an even deeper black, almost impossibly dark. Crimson spilled past her bottom lip as her top teeth elongated painfully. She let out a pained groan and covered her mouth as Sesshomaru hovered over her. There was nothing he could do, the only comfort he could take from it was the fact that the pain wouldn't last forever. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her eyes burned like fire, as they turned a burning red, soon settling into a molten gold. Her fingertips were raw as talons made her hands into weapons. It pained him to see her this way, in this much agony. She sat still for a long while afterward, eyes red and raw from wiping her tears. He slowly approached her, dropping to his knees to push her now ebony hair behind pointed ears. She fell against his shoulder, sobbing dryly. He did nothing but hold her for many minutes, silently as he knew she wouldn't be able to talk around the fangs for at least a couple of hours. He was content to just be there, clutching her towards himself, allowing his racing heart beat to calm down by her presence.

"Sessh..." Kagome clumsily formed words around the burdensome fangs. She had managed to pronounce smaller words, but his name was an impossibility at the moment. She hated feeling like a child just learning to speak. Her eyebrows came together stubbornly. "Sesshy!" She called through the castle, as the servants and guards outside her door snickered. He swept through the door, but not as graceful as he usually was, for the apron he wore restricted his movement. He held a glass of water in his hands. Water trailed down the sides, hinting that it had spilled on his way down the hall. He set it down on the nightstand and walked over to her, a small smirk contrasting the wild look of his hair that had been hurriedly and messily been pulled up. He was trailed by Jaken, everyone noticed, as Rin, (who had been reading a book on herbs at the foot of the bed) groaned.

"You know, you can't neglect your princely duties forever, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken screeched beside him.

"He insisted on taking care of Miss Kagome, Jaken." Rin jumped off of the bed. "C'mon, Jaken, help me look for Kohaku." She grabbed the lizard's hand and led him forcefully out of the room.

"'Maru, take these off." Kagome held up her hands where the gloves resided.

"I apologize, Kagome, but I'm afraid that will have to wait. It's only been a day since your transformation, and you already have multiple lacerations from your talons. I cannot do any more to injure you, and this is a means of keeping you safe." He held the gloved hands sadly.

"You know that wasn't your fault. If anything, it's my fault for running away." She put her head against his mokomoko. "I can deal with the gloves." She said, muffled by the fur. Suddenly, she sat back away from him, a bright gleam in her eye. "I know what I can do. Sit down." He obeyed, wondering why he wasn't bother by the fact that she was ordering him around.

She pointed to his mouth. "Open."

His jaw obediently dropped a small bit. She threw her hands up and cut the bandages holding the gloves on her hand. With her teeth still being sensitive, she could not have done it herself. She used her talons to repeat the action on the other hand, despite Sesshomaru's protests.

"Kagome... Don't-" he groaned as she took the brown leather gloves off. She still had the gleam in her eye as she directed his back towards her. Always wary of keeping his back protected, he tensed, waiting. The cloth that had been used to hold up his hair was quickly dismissed as Kagome sliced through it carefully, as to avoid giving him an accidental haircut. His hair fell, and she began to brush it out. Confused, the Lord turned around. "Miko, what are you-" he began.

"I'm braiding your hair. It looks bad just pulled up. Turn back around." He did as she ordered. He sat as still as possible as she did the unknown activity of 'braiding his hair.' Was it a mortal thing? He hoped it would not be too outrageous, as most mortal styles were. He would not want to dismiss it as soon as she had finished.

Kagome, however, was thinking none of these things. Was the powerful Lord really this helpless in such simple matters? 'Well,' she huffed. 'If he is going to make me act as demon-like as he is, I'll make him as mortal as I used to be!' With that thought, she was finished. "You're done," she called out, and began braiding her own hair. Sesshomaru stood up, his head feeling lighter than before. Had she cut his hair? Was that what braiding was? He had spent a month growing out the last 'cut of hair' Rue had experimented on him. He approached the pool and realized that he could not see the rest of his hair. He reached up to touch the back of his head and discovered the intricate style. He followed the plaits one by one until he reached the end where it had been tied off. It looked more powerful, somehow, than the tie he had it in not long ago. The silver braid could be shown off by being thrown over his shoulder, he realized quickly. He did so, and wondered if he was the first demon to know of this activity, this 'braiding of hair.'

"Kagome, you did not have to do this." He returned to the bed, stroking the pattern his hair made. She frowned at him. "Stop it. You'll muss it up." She grabbed his hand and held it in her own for a moment. She realized her claws had been pressing into his hand, leaving little crescent moon shapes. She let to quickly and put her hands in her lap, accidentally scratching her calf. It healed quickly, of course, as demon wounds do, but Sesshomaru was still worried. He enveloped both of her small hands into his large ones, and held them tightly.

"I apologize, Kagome. You did not deserve this. I just couldn't-" Kagome couldn't stand the regret in his eyes. She took her hands out of his and grabbed his braid. She pulled him forward and looked him in the eye.

"Listen up 'Maru, because I'll say this once. This. Isn't. Your. Fault. You did a great thing, and look!" She sent a blue ball of energy toward a random pillow thrown on the floor, causing it to explode into stuffing and torn seams. "I can concentrate my powers better! I'm immortal. As long as I don't do anything stupid, I'm home free!"

"You do not yet know how lonely immortality can be." He lowered his eyes for a moment, before meeting hers again. "You will soon realize that being a demon is far from better than being a human."

"What, then, 'Maru? If being human is so great, then why didn't you let me die a human?" The volume in her voice was rising quickly, and he wondered if the servants could hear.

"Please-"

"Why didn't you just leave me there? It's not like I benefit your kingdom at all."

"Kag-" He couldn't get a word in edgewise. Her volume rose yet again. She was yelling now.

"I don't help you with anything!"

"I-"

_"Why didn't you just let me die?!"_

_"Because I wouldn't want to live without you!"_

The silence after the roar was deafening, thickening more and more with tension as each second passed. Both of the demons' eyes had a slight shade of pink mixed in with the gold as they breathed heavily from their screaming match. Kagome blinked as her irises became their original rich color. He felt the need to fill the silence with something, anything, so he added in a soft voice:

"I couldn't be alone again."


	8. Keep Your Friends Close

I don't own anything, but I wish I did

The priestess blinked, not sure if she had heard him right. Had the great Lord Sesshomaru, the one who could create and steal life, just admitted weakness? Vulnerability?

"You... You're not alone, 'Maru." She put her hand on his shoulder, and he shook it off. He realized what he had just admitted, and returned to his usual empty manner. His face settled into the familiar expression, as if it had always been waiting to go back.

"No." The miko spoke quietly, but forcefully. He looked at her, eyebrow raised in a slight question. Of course, he spoke not.

"No," she said in response to the expression. "I'm not going to let you do this again. You can't go back to the whole 'the world is beneath me' attitude again!" Her lisp around the fangs was still evident, but it did not take any feeling from her words. He began to stand up, but with her demon strength, she pulled him back down to a sitting position.

"Miko," Oh, how she despised that name! "I do not know if you recall, but you have no power over this Sesshomaru." The Lord of the Western Lands stood up more forcefully, and this time the priestess did not touch him. He turned away from the bed and began walking away. She simply looked up at his back with a mocking expression.

"Oh, that's not entirely true, is it?" Her tone changed completely, no more the innocent girl she once had been, but a calculating demon as powerful, if not more, as he. The Inu Demon froze at the complete switch in her demeanor, his back still toward her.

"No, that isn't true because, you see," she stood up and walked around Sesshomaru. "You see, Sesshomaru, there would have been no reason for you to revive me if I didn't have some meaning to you." Her youki flared, and she suddenly had no issues with speaking or controlling her talons.

"You put up walls, sink into that darkness you so love, and leave me here! You say you're alone, but when you disappear, who is really left alone?"

Her youki was growing by the moment, alarming even the great Sesshomaru with it's intensity. He felt the curiosity of the servants spark, and pictured them by the door, heads swiveling in the direction of the powerful youki emanating from behind the door. Under normal circumstances, the thoughts of his servants would mean less than Jaken's screeches, but if someone were to find a powerful demon hidden in his castle there would be dire consequences. She would be put to the many trials, just as he had. He shook the thought from his head. No, he wouldn't let that happen to her.

"Sesshomaru!"

He would die before that happened. He wouldn't just-

"Sesshomaru!" She gripped his arm. Ragged holes appeared in the sleeve of his kimono, staining it with varying shades of red as her talons pierced deep within his upper arm. She pulled back, youki dying down in that instant. Blood covered her claws, dripping a bit on the floor. She stepped back, staring, astonished at the red tint setting into the nails.

"I'm sorry, Sesh-" the lisp returned heavily and she stopped speaking. He looked down at the puncture wounds, still perplexed. His eyes slid up from his arm to her, trying to piece together the events. She covered her mouth, smearing blood on her cheek. Turning before he could intercept her, she left the room and ran down the hall. Sesshomaru regained his wits and ran towards the door that had slammed two minutes before. He threw it open, fearing she had run away again. He closed his eyes and threw out his youki. She was still in the castle, though he knew not where. She hadn't passed through the soul barricade that lined the walls. Her particular youki was spread far throughout the castle, confusing her path. 'She must be skilled in running away from inuyoukai,' he thought. 'With the amount of times she ran from the half-breed.' She had made messy paths, doubling over and even splashing water on her shoes. 'She probably has no idea where she is.'

Kagome had no idea where she was. But hopefully, Sesshomaru didn't know where she was either. She wandered aimlessly throughout the halls, just hoping to get away from him. She just wanted him to be like he used to be, when he had first picked her up. Before she had run away. Before she changed. She just wanted the real Sesshomaru back. The one she had...

The one she had what?

Grown used to?

Liked?

Found tolerable?

She would leave that question until she found somewhere to sleep. She looked around, taking in her surroundings. She hadn't even known this part of the castle existed. It was a tight hallway, roughly twice the size of herself. Small areas were hewn out of the rock walls, allowing torches to be hung. She discovered doors that led to reasonably sized rooms. It took her a moment before she understood. She was in the servant's quarters. She stumbled upon a room where a scullery maid was sitting on her bed, flipping through a book.

"Excuse me... Miss?" She called timidly through the doorway. The maid felt the power coming off of the emotional girl in waves.

"Yes... How can I help you? Are you lost?" There was no way this powerful demon was a servant.

"I just-" her voice broke. She was very close to tears. "I just need a place to sleep." She sagged her head in shame.

"Of course. We have an extra bed in here." She gestured to a small cot on the left side of the room, smiling.

"Thank you so much." She went over to the bed, laying on it gingerly. It was uncomfortable, and she longed for the comfort of her own bed. Shaking her head, she began to ponder the earlier question.

The maid stood over the sleeping demoness. She was going to get a lot of money for this, and she wouldn't have to serve at the cold Lord's beck and call anymore. The buyer would be here any moment, and she just had to make sure the girl wouldn't move until then. Where the girl would go after that, she didn't care. People p aid dearly for strong demons and demonesses to turn into weapons, and she had had the foresight to alert the neighboring kingdom about the youki she had felt earlier, and here the source was, collapsed like a dog in front of her! The demoness would be owned by the strongest demon since Naraku. This was going to be great.

Hey its CoolMintFire, just here to see how you guys like the story so far. Leave me a review if possible. I want to do a shoutout to my friend nicfran for giving me the heads up about the update. I had completely forgotten.


	9. And Your Enemies Closer

_Do not own._

CoolMintFire here and I want to sincerely apologize for anyone who was confused a couple chapters ago. I hadn't realized I had filled Rin "Rue". You see, I write these stories on my phone so I am able to bring it out and work whenever I have free time for you guys. My phone autocorrected it, and honestly I was mortified, haha. Well, to recap for you guys the last chapter

_The maid stood over the sleeping demoness. She was going to get a lot of money for this, and she wouldn't have to serve at the cold Lord's beck and call anymore. The buyer would be here any moment, and she just had to make sure the girl wouldn't move until then. Where the girl would go after that, she didn't care._

Sesshomaru stiffened. Someone had entered the soul barrier. It was around three a.m., so it wasn't Jaken or Rin, obviously. He had been searching for four hours.

He began to move more quickly now. His head swiveled on his shoulders frantically, scanning every hall he passed. Something about the presence made him uncomfortable. It was almost threatening.

"Kagome?" He called down a hall where her trail became a bit more clear. He felt the presence going towards the same hall, and broke into a dead run.

"Kagome?" He called a bit louder. There was no one to hear him at this time, even the servants would be asleep. His ear twitched as he felt the youki of a demon rise. His head swiveled and he grabbed the doorknob of the room. He found it locked and pounded on the door.

"Kagome, can you hear me?"

His enhanced hearing caught a muffled cry. He heard the sharp crack of skin hitting skin before the door opened with ease behind his hand as he pushed it open. The lock fell to the floor and the sound of wood splintering was ignored as a bound and gagged Kagome was swept out of the window. A man with purple hair locked eyes with the Western Lord, black and gold clashing harshly. He was holding Kagome under his arm. Her eyes pleaded with him, full of fear and confusion. She must have been taken off-guard, as she smelled of sleep. Her cheek had split above the bone, bleeding slightly. It hadn't healed yet, which was odd. But after a millisecond, Sesshomaru realized why. Just being near the man had sapped quite a bit of his power. It was as though he was moving through honey at the speed he was going. His frustration built as he made his way slowly towards the window, but the man simply smiled widely. His cape swept over himself and Kagome, and the pair was gone. The spell released and Sesshomaru was launched through the window. The very edge of his fingertips had brushed the cape. He had been so close. He, Lord Sesshomaru, had been overpowered by the demon's spell. He stood out of the window, chest heaving with anger, claws dripping with venom. He immediately gave into such anger and began transformation. His teeth elongated into fangs that were much too large for the form he now took, so the rest of him accommodated. His true form, formerly one of deadly calm, was now one of unadulterated rage. The collected Lord was gone as a rabid canine hit the ground, tearing off into the night.

Kagome couldn't move. Her wrists were chafing as she lay in a stone room. She felt a shackle press into her throat, connected by a chain to a wall. Her cheek still wouldn't heal, and her power was depleted. The cut stung as dirt got into it, pressed against the floor. Her mouth was dry with the gag in it, and her feet were bare. Her toes bled, as they had dragged against the rough floor of the castle. She had been stripped of her kimono, and was left with nothing but the white yukata underneath. She shivered in the drafty area, but being cold was the least of her issues. She had heard about this, about the trafficking of powerful demons to be used as weapons. Many powerful demons had been 'broken in', a mental state where they knew nothing but to follow orders. It had happened to Kohaku, but this was on a higher level.

Her thought process was cut off when a regal looking man stepped into the room. It was the same man who had taken her, the one with hair like amethyst. She grew even weaker in his presence, eyes closing. He stopped over her and tilted her head up. "So pretty," he muttered. Her eyelids fluttered. He pushed her hair out of her face, just as Sesshomaru had done.

Sesshomaru.

Kagome fought the urge to be weak, and opened her eyes. She lifted her head and looked him in the eye. "Get away from me," she spat. He chuckled.

"You have quite a mouth on you. But no matter," he grinned, showing razor sharp teeth. "You truly are beautiful. Like a polished sword. Nothing but material, but a very good looking weapon."

"Don't objectify me," she glared at the man standing over her. "I have someone very powerful coming for me."

"And I am very well hidden. Pray tell, who is this hero coming for you? Your mate, perhaps?" His smile grew larger, predatory. Powerful demons had powerful mates. Perhaps he could have two weapons, soon?

Kagome stammered before simply answering. "My owner," she tried to sound confident. Sesshomaru could definitely take this guy, right? He was such a coward, having to steal her away in the middle of the night. She remembered the way he looked, and how he had reached out to grab her.

"Your owner?" He stared down the Miko with a condescending look. "My, someone was able to subdue you?"

"I wasn't subdued. I was treated as an equal, not a _slave_!" She lunged forward onto her knees, but the heavy metal around her throat stopped her, choking her as she ran out of chain. She slumped over, trying to catch her breath.

"See, even a dog will kneel with the correct collar." The man laughed, and it left a chill in the room. Tears fell onto the dirt floor as Kagome gasped for air. The man walked over to her, and the air turned to quicksand, slowing down and taking everything with it. He was the only thing that moved, and she saw his boot come up, connecting with her side. She fell, her wrists coming down heavily. She knew she wouldn't be able to defeat him like this. She lay down as he walked towards the door.

"Can I-" Kagome breathed heavily, blowing dust around the floor. He stopped before his hand made contact with the lock.

"Can... I ask you... A question?" She wasn't looking at him, as her head was laying on it's side as she stared blankly at the wall.

"If I am able to ask one of you, also." He propped his shoulder against the wall.

"What kind... of demon are you?" She tried to look up, but couldn't.

"A scorpion. To address me, Seto will do."

"But that means..." She glanced up in confusion. He had let her have a small bit of energy.

"Yes, my name means 'compensation.'" He looked at her, as if daring her to challenge him.

"Compensation for what, exactly?" She was able to sit up.

"For who I am. My father had to die so I could be powerful, as compensation for what I am." His eyes became dark abysses, so black she felt she would be drawn in. But there was a dripping fire behind them.

"And what is that?" She whispered.

A tail whipped out from behind him. Kagome remembered Inuyasha's ears, and how that demonstrated what he was, and she knew.

"I'm a hanyou. A half demon." He had a self-depreciating smirk on his face. "There's the truth," he brought his arms out and dropped them back to his sides. "I'm a filthy half-breed. And I know how you feel about those. I'm disgusting."

Kagome stared at the tail. It looked familiar, almost. But then she met Seto's eyes.

"I don't think half-demons are disgusting. One of them used to be my best friend." She tried to smile remembering Inuyasha, but she fell a bit flat.

He came toward her and knelt. She was able to sit and move comfortably now, as he had let up much of his influence. She remembered how much Inuyasha had both hated and loved having his ears touched, so she held her hands out. "May I?"

Though he didn't blush, Seto appeared very flustered. He complied, his tail coming forward and resting in her hands. She stared at it, trying to figure out where she had seen it before. She ran her hand over a part where the dim firelight shone and he shuddered. "Can you control when it's visible?" She glanced up and saw Seto was already staring at her. He was... Almost smiling. He shook his head quickly, hair flying. "Sorry, I, uh.. Yeah, I can control it. It's retractable, kind of like a cat's claw."

She nodded and continued marveling the tail.

"So," Seto caught her eye and held it. "You asked way more than one question."

Kagome stammered. "I- uh, yeah. Guess I did."

"My turn. What's your name?"

"Satsuki." She decided a fake name would be better.

"I already know you're a dog. What about your owner?"

Sesshomaru's face flashed in her mind. Her heart, in a place she couldn't feel before, felt constricted. Why couldn't she feel her body? It felt like getting nitrous oxide from the dentist, she felt as though she was floating. "He's a dog, too." She slurred.

"Oh, I see. Kagome, your owner... Do you love him?" Seto's voice had gotten lower, and pain began threading into her body from her wrist. Her mind was spinning as she spoke. "Yes...Yes, I do."

"Oh," Seto said, a smile in his voice. She met his eyes and his head tilted slightly to the side. "Then won't this just break his heart." Kagome looked down at where the pain was emanating from, just in time to see the stinger of his tail sliding out of her wrist as the pain increased tenfold. She screamed as Seto pulled her close to himself and held her against his chest. He increased his power over her, making her screams die down. She was drained of energy as he held her until she finally fell asleep. He laid her on the floor and walked out of the room. She would be all better in the morning.

Remember to leave a review and maybe a suggestion for a story you'd like to see from me! I'm always willing to listen, and if there's a prompt you want to read, but not write, I'm always there. This is CoolMintFire, thanks for reading!


	10. Love, Not Actually

I don't own anything, including a calendar, apparently. Finals got crazy, and everything just sort of crashed together, much like my excuses. Hope you all enjoy! This is going to get pretty crazy, I just hope you still enjoy reading. I'm kind of insecure about that... Whatever, no one cares what I feel, you're here for the story! Here it is:

_They say sticks and stones may break bones, but what does it take to break the spirit? A simple shot, even if that shot is a misfire._

A silver streak shot through the trees, branches falling behind it. The moonlight shot off of it's pearly fur, and seemed to lay all emphasis on its teeth, which were fully bared. It was following a scent path, and it knew the scent well, though it was the one that had soaked his home not nearly enough. Sesshomaru crashed through entire trees, searching for a sign. She had been carried by that man to a neighboring village and then disappeared. Who was that man? Sesshomaru had never seen him before. Before long, he had reverted to his human-esque form, collapsing on the hard forest floor. He let out a weak bark, for using his form while angry burnt him out quickly. Coming back to his feet, he meandered his way to a tree, recognizing it immediately. The clearing up ahead was where he had taken Kagome. Closing his eyes, he could remember what she had looked like, and (thanks to the memory transfer) how she had felt. He didn't feel physical pain often, but he knew how much she had hurt at the time. Why was it like this? Why had they been thrown together only to be torn apart time and time again? Sesshomaru had been wondering this for a substantial amount of times while running for her. Forcing his way to the center of the clearing, he sat down in the leaves. Maybe... No, that wasn't something to ponder. Yet he did. Sitting in the pine needles and maple leaves, Sesshomaru came upon the most painful thought he was able. Maybe... Maybe Kagome didn't love him back.

The thought sent cold glass through his chest region. He had assumed she felt the same way. He didn't have a lot of experience detecting it, so it was possible. The thought... It scared him. And not much did.

His thoughts were cut short when his head swiveled to the source of a smell that he had been programmed to detect. Someone else had come to their spot. Someone who had been there at the time.

"Yo, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha stood alone, sword in front of him. "Get ready to-" his sentence trailed off as he sniffed the air. "You're weak."

Sesshomaru growled lowly.

"No, I mean you're weaker than usual. Keh, what's wrong? No one to fight?" He looked around. "Where's Kagome?"

Sesshomaru stood up as much as he could. He leaned on the tree heavily. "Have you seen her?" His eyes burned with intensity.

"What?" The hanyou stared at him.

Sesshomaru was in front of him in seconds. "Where. Is. She?" He had a firm grip on the collar of his hakama. The demon could barely hold himself up, yet he looked as though he would run wherever Inuyasha pointed.

"You lost her?" The half demon was incredulous. The demon sagged into his arms, his eyes barely open.

"Jeez-" Inuyasha held him up, searching his torn yukata for Ah-Un's whistle. He gave up awkwardly groping his half-brother's matted mokomoko and whistled as loudly as he could, signaling the dragon. He lifted the demon onto the dragon's back, and stood back to allow him room to fly away. Ah-Un simply sat there. "Go on, ya dumb animal. Take him home." Inuyasha waved his hand toward the air. One of Ah-Un's heads gestured towards the demon.

"I'm not goin'. Go on to the castle." He waved him away.

The dragon continued to point towards it's back.

"Alright, dummy." Inuyasha jumped onto the saddle, making sure Sesshomaru stayed steady as Ah-Un took off.

"Why'd you push yourself so bad, huh?" He stared at his brother, confused. He'd never seen him so determined.

"D'you fall for her, too?" He smiled self-depreciatingly at the skyline. Sesshomaru stirred, but didn't wake up.

"Yeah, Kagome'll do that to ya. Heh, I had to go back to Kikyo just to forget about her. I wonder who she left you for, huh? Some stronger demon?" He looked back down at the sleeping form, who turned over to lay on his back.

"Yeah, me too."

Once the men had reached the castle, Sesshomaru had become slightly more lucid. His eyes opened to see Inuyasha awkwardly balancing him on his shoulder as a support.

"I... I must find her." His voice was low, but Inuyasha heard him perfectly.

"No. You're going to bed." It wasn't a suggestion.

He looked at the hanyou. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because nothing's gonna kill you but me." He smiled as he struggled to hold Sesshomaru up. He looked forward, determined to get Sesshomaru into the castle undetected. He had guards that could kill him. That were told to kill him.

"Sesshomaru, can you walk?" Inuyasha started to lean away from him. The demon swayed, and muttered a small "no". Perfect.

Meanwhile, Kagome was waking up from the worst sleep of her life. She looked at her hand, where she had seen the tip of Seto's tail had last been buried. There was nothing there, causing her to think that was a dream. Had it been a dream?

Seto came into the dungeon. She remembered how tortured he had looked the night before. She noticed her power was still with her. "Why aren't you taking my energy?" She met his eyes. He smiled softly.

"I don't think you'll attack. I saw how you looked last night. You feel too attached." He came and knelt beside her again. "You fell asleep after I showed you my tail. I don't know what happened."

She squinted at the bright illumination cast throughout the room from the fire. He placed his hand on her cheek, caressing it. Normally, she wouldn't have embraced the feeling, and in her mind, she didn't. Her stomach jumped, but her mind stayed steely. Why was she leaning into his hand like a cat to it's owner? She attempted to berate him, but all that left her lips was "it's like you see right through me."

Why did all of her accusations come out as flirtatious remarks? In her mind she raged, but their conversation was one often held by lovers. Seto chuckled, standing up. "Now that there's nothing you can do, I suppose it's time your confusion should be explained."

As he stood, she reached towards his hand with both of hers, though in her mind she had already torn his limbs from their sockets.

"The venom you so willingly reached for has some... Regrettable side effects. For you, mostly. It keeps you completely docile, but it does that through increasing your levels of affection. Therefore, you now are... Well, infatuated. Not mentally, but subconsciously."

The confession changed nothing in her bodily language, but she already began to feel suffocated in her mind.

"This will be incredibly advantageous to _me_, however," he continued. "Imagine the man you love running to the rescue, only to see her in the arms of her kidnapper, with no way to voice her love! I am sure that will serve better than any other torture I could give you." Kagome could do nothing but stare. She pounded at the walls of confinement her skull had become, hoping to get any type of message across.

"It's a shame, too. You see, hanyou have a certain telekinetic level of communication. But I can do more. I can listen to them without detection."

Kagome may have looked infatuated, but she had heard everything. But why was he telling her this?

"I can hear your Master, now."

_He's bluffing. Sesshomaru isn't a hanyou._

"Ah, you were hanyou at some point, Kagome. I can hear you. But it wasn't Sesshomaru I listened to."

_Inuyasha_.

"So, that's his name. Yes, right now they are talking about you. This Sesshomaru, he is quite taken by you. I would even say... Your love is returned."

Her heart jumped. But in the back of her mind, she pictured Sesshomaru running to save her, only to see the look on his face when it isn't his arms she runs into.

"Yes, that is what would happen. It's risky, though. It could kill one of you. Maybe not him, if he's just now realized how much he loves you."

'If it has to be like this,' she thought. 'I'd be glad to die.'

And for the first time, she wished he would stay away.

The Lord of The Western Lands awoke to an alarmingly bright light shining directly in his eyes. How long had he been asleep? He looked out the window, not quite ready to face the disapproving hanyou sitting at the foot of his bed, undoubtedly full of questions. Questions of which he'd rather not relive the answers.

"So lover boy, you awake?"

His mind was still working at a desultory pace as he ignored the elision of that sentence. He looked up, a bit lost.

"'Lover Boy'?"

"That's why you exhausted yourself last night, isn't it? Because Kagome's gone?"

Sesshomaru's eyes turned cold. "Yes. She is... Gone. Regrettably."

"'Regrettable,' he says. Like that's all it is. Sesshomaru I think I know when someone, especially my brother-"

"Half-Brother." Sesshomaru growled.

"-half-brother, is head over freakin' heels for someone! Even with that icicle shoved up your-"

"Enough." The demon held up a hand towards his brother. Sesshomaru had not considered that his emotional responses were anything but minute. Clearly the emotions must be very strong, if even his dunce of a brother could detect it. Truly, the boy was pitiful in the romance department.

'_You aren't much better,_' he thought to himself.

"What're we gonna do, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha's eyes had the shining tint of concern.

"I cannot ask you to come with me. You do not know how powerful this demon is."

"Psh.." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "How powerful can he be, if I've been fighting you all my life?"

"That is the exact thing, Inuyasha. I've fought with myself all of my life, yet I still cannot even track him." The Western Lord turned away.

"Perhaps it is a lost cause."

Whoops; there's a cliffy. How'd that get in there? *evil laughter*

I'm CoolMintFire, 50% fabulous, 50% pain, 100% reason to remember the name.

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